Fully slip-lasted and machine sewn moccasin



E. DOLAN Aug. 14, I951 FULLY SLIP-LASTED AND MACHINE SEWN MOCCASIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1950 INVENTOR Edward ,Do an ATTORNEY 4, 1.951 E. DQLAN 2,564,301

FULLY SLIP-LASTED AND MACHINE SEWN MOCCASIN Filed March 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edward ,Dolan- ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1951 FULLY SLIP-LASTED AND MACHINE SEWN MOCCASIN Edward Dolan, Mechanic Falls, Maine, assignmto Federal Shoe Inc., Lewiston, Maine, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 25, 1950, Serial No. 151,928

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of shoes and more particularly to the moccasin type of shoe. It is an object of this invention to provide a machine stitch attachment of the component parts comprising the vamp portion and plug portions to a shoe, to have the appearance of a hand-sewn moccasin but which, being effected by machine sewing, results in considerable economies in labor to increase the output, with= out sacrificing the appearance and comfort found so desirable in genuine hand-sewn moccasins.

In accordance with the production of moccasins by hand sewing, especially in joining a plug part to a vamp, the process of conforming the adjacent edges of the vamp and plug part and the shaping of the heel portion were hand sewing operations which involved considerable latitude in avoiding p-uckering as the worker reconciles any unevenness of the adjacent edges. Such conformance of the component contiguous edges has not been possible by machine operations as the puckers of uneven distribution would render such stitching procedure inadvisable.

I have found that by the provision of a form of vamp which includes edges which may bring the plug and vamp into close contiguouscontact while substantially retaining the plug sheeting in a single plane and by contouring a seam which extends over the length of the sole of yieldable character, to bring the parts in butt-joint con- ."4

tact, machine sewing operations may be employed to provide a moccasin type of shoe having all the advantages and appearance of a hand-sewn moccasin.

I have found and it is an object of my invention to provide shoes having the appearance of a hand-sewn moccasin by the provision of a vamp made from an integral blank having segments which may be brought together to form a seam extending longitudinally of the entire shoe and including the heel portion on one edge of the segments and on the other edge conforming to a plug which may be stitched thereto, to bring the edges into contact by a machine stitching operation, Without puckers or the requirement to adjust the peripheral engagement of the vamp to the plug whereby, upon joining the edges along the sole forming portion of the shoe, a shoe assembly is eifected by machine in the stitching room of a factory and conforming the completely sewn shoe on a slip-last as the final step in shaping the upper.

Still more particularly it is an object of my invention to provide a shoe blank which permits of full machine sewing, including the plug part as well as the heel part, to simulate genuine hand-sewn moccasins, and effect very large economies in producing this type of shoe.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in Which-- Figure 1 illustrates a blank for making the moccasin upper;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the plug to be used therewith;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank to form the. saddle; Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank to form the kick plate; Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank to form the binding; Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank to form the back stay; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the moccasin top after machine stitching and before slip-lasting;

Figure 8 is a reverse view thereof; Figure 9 is a magnified section taken on the line 99 of Figure '7; Figure 10 is a magnified section taken on the line Ill-4B of Figure '7; Figure 11 is a perspective View of the complete moccasin shoe; Figure 12 is a section taken on the line lZ-IZ of Figure 11.

Summarizing my invention, it involves the provision of a blank to form the upper of a moccasin type shoe in which one edge of symmetrical segments includes angularly directed edges which may be brought together to form a seam along the full length of the shoe to be formed and the opposite edge, at portions thereof, is contoured to conform to the perimeter of a plug, the edges being of a contour to permit machine sewing without puckers or the formation of shirring and to complete all sewing operations by machine before lasting of the shoe is eifecte-d before shaping, whereby a slip-lasted moccasin simulating hand-sewn moccasins is achieved.

Making reference to the drawing, I show a blank I0 made of an integral sheet of leather including segments l l and I2 symmetrical about the axis O--O. The mean transverse axes Y--Y of the segments are related to each other by an obtuse angle of about The lower edges l3 and I4 extend from an axial point I5 to the heel ends l6 and l 7 along gentle curves convexly from the ball to the concave curve of the arch and sharply curved at the heel. Shaping darts l8 and I9 are interposed adjacent the heel portions for purposes which will appear as this description proceeds.

. The blank has its upper edge 20 outlined by plug engaging edges 2| and 22, which are to be brought together with the plug 23 at the perimeter edges and 25 thereof, spaced from the tongue 26. The plug blank 23 has a marking dart 21 for aligning this part with the marking dart 128 of the blank Iii.

It will be observed, with a blank as thus pro 'vided, that the material above the axes YY' when folded at the center has the upstanding edges 2!, 22 substantially rectilinear and in par- :allelism with the edges of a plane surface piece comprising the plug before shaping of any kind, and the material below the axes 'iZ-Y' beginning with the point of intersection it of the'sides I3 and [4 extending for the full length of the shoe to the heel has edges formed by gradual curves.

For assembly the edges 2! andZZ are skived "as shown in dotted lines 29, as are the edges 24 and 25 of the plug 23.

Likewise, skiving is effected of the edges of the shaping darts l8 and '19. In each instance the skiving is toward ;the rough side of the leather.

With a blank thus provided, the plug .23 is sewnto the blank M3 by bringing thercontiguous edges 2| and 22 and the edges 2 and25 together by sewing. The skived edges are brought into contiguous contact after coating with a cement, such as rubber cement. The row 38 of stitches has-each loop thereof piercing from the plug to .the vamp immediately behind the skived sections,

to have a raised ridge exteriorly and ,arsmooth interior joint. The stitching machine ,may include a moulding die to extend an embossin marking 3| fromadjacent the point of perforation to the edge and thereby simulate thehandsewn overcast stitch employed inmakinghhandsewn moccasins. The combined effect is to provide a raised ridge exterio-rly, of pleasing ornamental effect, anda smoothinterior.

iThe substantially rectillinear edges ,2! and .22 retain the plug substantially in a singleplane, eliminating any puckers. At this stage theseam 32 may be formed by a row 33 of loopedstitches extending from the pointof intersection IE to adjacent the curved portion of the heel 34. The edges 35 are trimmed square and are retained within the loop stitches 33 to permit turning from a congruent sewing position to an abutting ,final position. 7

,After performing this operation, theheel ends it and I! from adjacent to the said curved portion at the point of stoppage of the loop stitches ,33 are brought together by a'row of zigzag stitches 3% of finer thread to the top ofheel ends it and ii, after which the binding strip 3,! is sewn in position. Thereupon the back stay .35 and kick plate 39 are sewn in position by the rows ofstitches it and (ii to cover the z g ag stitches 36 previously applied. 7

The slits left open by the shaping darts I8 and !9 are then closed by bringing the side edges together by rows of stitches 32, the skivedadjacent edges whereof having been first covered with cement and the stitching 42 being accompanied by a hot-die marking which simulates'hand sewing as in the step described in. connection with the attachment of the plug The edge of the back stay 43 and the arcuate edge d4 of the kick plate are brought together at the same time that the edges of the shaping darts l8 and H are brought together. Thereupon the binding 31 is turned andheldagainst theface by the row of stitches A5. Finally the saddle 46 is sewn in position by the rows of stitches 41 and 48. The series of steps just described .completes the upper by machine stitching. ,In this condition, the upper is slip-lasted while Wet. By

the terms transverse axial line or axial line transversely through the segments as used in the claims I mean to include the section through the axis Y--Y which corresponds substantially to the plane of reference passing through the approximate centers of the toe and heel ends of the blank.

The. darts l8 and it .are positionedon the heel ends of the axis.

The slip-lasting operation is carried out to shape the moccasin top and to bring the edges 35 into butt-joint engagement, as more clearly shown in Figure 12. The gradually curved edges 13 and It provide a seam extending over the complete length of the shoe from the toe to the heel, permitting the omission of an in-sole, and ,further permitting the attachment of the out sole 49 by rows of stitches 56 in a recognized manner before marking and appfying the heel.

By the sequence of steps which I have described, a vamp made from a single blankhaving symmetrical segments may have the edges 2! and 22 brought into conforming relationship to the edges 2% 25 of the plug by machine stitching. The sole which is stitched from the intersecting point l5 adjacent the toe portionto the heel portion may then be shifted into butt-edge relationship upon slip-lastin and shaping after the stitching operations described. Both the plug and the kicker strip simulate closely hand-sewn moccasins. All of the sewing operations may be performed before slip-lasting and without preliminary heel seat=lasting or toe-lasting.

Economies are thereby effected, permitting the production by machine operations of moccasin type shoes employing quantity production vmethods, not heretofore attainable in making products of this character. In all other ways the moccasin so made gives the comfort and appear-- ,ance of a hand-sewn moccasin and in otherrespects is superior thereto in providing a foot conforming contour, particularly by reason of the yieldability of the seams both at the periphvery of the plug and that extended along the length of the sole.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new .and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A moccasin blank comprising a pair of connected elongated segments, each constituting its portion of the upper and sole, each segment being of a full length of the moccasin to be .formed from the toe portion to the heel portion, the transverse axial lines through each of which segments being positioned to each other at an obtuse angle, one edge of each segment being substantially straight throughout its length from the toe end to the heel end and positioned with relation to each other to form a larger angle that of the said obtuse angle but appreciably less than. 136', the other edge of each segment beginning with the point of intersection. of the segments having continuously ther cm adjacent the point of demarkation between. the upper and the sole portion of the blank an appreciable convex curve gradually extending and merging 'gentlyat the ball portion h a concave curve atthe shank portion and terminating in a sharply convexcurve at the heel portion running up to the aforesaid first edge, the blank when folded substantially stitches, said curved edges will lie in abutting relation throughout their lengths in a single, substantially rectilinear seam without side seams.

2. A moccasin blank comprising a pair of integrally connected elongated segments, each integrally constituting its portion of the upper and sole, each segment being of a full length of the moccasin to be formed from the toe :portion to the heel portion, the transverse axial lines through each of which segments being positioned to each other at an obtuse angle, one edge of each segment being substantially straight throughout its length from the toe end to the heel end and positioned with relation to each other to form a larger angle than that of the said obtuse angle but appreciably less than 180, the other edge of each segment beginning with the point of intersection of the segments having continuously therefrom and adjacent the point of demarkation between the upper and the sole portion of the blank an appreciable convex curve gradually extending and merging gently at the ball portion with a concave curve at the shank portion and terminating in a sharply convex curve at the heel portion running up to the aforesaid first edge, the blank when folded substantially along the center positioning each segment congruently and aligning the curved edges whereby said edges may be stitched together throughout their length without puckering and so that when turned into a common plane, said curved edges will lie in abutting relation throughout their lengths in a single, substantiall rectilinear seam without side seams.

3. A moccasin blank in accordance with claim 2 wherein the said obtuse angle of said axial lines is approximately 150.

4. A moccasin comprising a sole, a vamp including the lower part of the quarter composed of a single sheet of leather having integrally connected elongated segments and having a kick plate at theheel, each segment being a full length of the moccasin from the toe portion to the heel portion, the sole having the bottom edges of the segments stitched in abutting relation running from the top edge of the quarter down the heel and ending in the sole at a point substantially coincident with the point of imp-turning at the toe in a single, substantially straight line seam without side seams, a pair of shaping darts in each segment comprising a slit coincident with the transverse axial line through each segment at the heel, the side edges of which slit are stitched transversely of the said seam to each other and to the lower edge of the kick plate to exteriorly overlap the said first seam, the top edges of each segment being substantially in a plane and to which edges the top edge of a plug is stitched to complete the vamp in contiguous contact of the periphery of the plug and the said top edges of the segment, to provide a raised ridge from the edge of the segment and the periphery of the plug.

EDWARD DOLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date 1,959,892 Anderson May 22, 1934 2,228,143 Medwed Jan. 7, 1941 2,232,215 Cordeau Feb. 18, 1941 2,472,265 Phillips June 7, 1949 2,483,921 Medwed Oct. 4, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 363,972 France May 18, 1906 706,666 France Mar. 31, 1931 

